Faded Flowers Of A Forgotten Youth
by Kipcha
Summary: But then I'm brought back to reality, remembering that you hate me, and despite this, I still love you dearly, for you are still held close to my heart." Aunt Petunia's view of the night Lily and James died. "Thank You, Tuny."


**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, but I do own Lily Luna Potter! And they said Hogwarts was impossible to break into, HA! (Mysterious brooms land in front yard) Oh crud...**

Petunia Dursley busied herself in the kitchen, listening to Dudley scream in his high chair and her husband, Vernon, reading about the latest news.

"The things teenagers do these days!" Exclaimed Vernon Dursley, his moustache as bushy as ever and his beady eyes examining the black and white print before him with interest, "You should have seen everything today. Ridiculous! People in cloaks, owls in the air, cats in the yard and on the street corners..." But Petunia had zoned out on her husabands rant, her thoughts, for some odd reason, on her sister. She had not been reading her letters lately, even though one had appeared by owl last night, and the last reply Petunia had sent to her had not been a pleasant one. In fact, it was around a year ago, telling her about her new nephew, and how proud James was of him...

She immediatly brushed off the odd feeling and brought her family their dinner and she happily gossiped the Vernon, telling him of a new word Dudley had learned, (Shan't!) and ignored the odd feeling that continually persisted, her sisters green eyes continously appearing in her mind.

It was when they was to watch the news that she noticed Vernon shifting uncomfortably, but Petunia paid him no mind. Distantly, on the news she heard things like "... Bird watchers everywhere have reported the nations owl's have been behaving unusually today... Downpour of shooting stars..." and her mind snapped right back to her sister, worry eating away at her heart.

It was then she heard her husaband attempt to speak. "Er - Petunia dear - you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"

"No." Petunia replied sharply, her worry, once again, spiking, "Why?"

"Funny stuff on the news," Replied her husband, avoiding her scorching gaze, "Owls... shooting stars... and there were alot of funny looking people in cloaks today..."

"So?" Replied Petunia waspishly, her worry hitting a max. Even though she was terrified for her sister for some unknown reason, thinking of the parchment envelope hidden under her pillow in her room from last night, she could still feel the sour tinge of jealously for her magical, talented, beautiful sister.

"Well, I just thought... maybe... it had something to do with... you know... _her lot_?"

Petunia sipped her tea to busy her mouth, not allowing her husband to see her true reaction to his words. But Vernon continued.

"Their son would be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"

"I suppose so."

She heard him gulp, despite his distance. "What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"

"Harry," And for good measure, she added in, "Nasty, common name if you ask me."

The expression on Mr. Dursleys face fell, and he mumbled "Oh yes... Yes, I quite agree..."

The room fell into silence as the news reporter quickly turned to a news story about a local football team.

Soon after, they went to bed, and Mrs. Dursley quickly feigned sleep, hoping Vernon would quickly follow suit. It was quite a while before he drifted, though, but the second he did she grabbed the letter and rushed to the bathroom. She quickly opened the wax seal on it, and began to read...

_Dear Petunia,_

_I wonder if you are still reading the letters I've been sending you? James insists that you aren't and that these are a waste of time, but I merely brush him off, my only excuse being that you are my sister, and despite your... deep rooted dislike for me, I still remember the days before you considered me a freak,_ (Petunia noticed the smooth, slanting writing grew shaky here, as if it had been hard to put onto the paper for Lily) _before the days of Sev... Snape, before the days of Hogwarts, when we would merely spend time together out in the back garden, me imagining world travels, you hoping to have a caring husband and a good home with children, and I can still remember the warmth on my back, the shine of your blonde hair catching in the light, both of us so carefree..._

_But then I'm brought back to reality, remembering that you hate me, and despirte this, I still love you dearly, for you are still held close to my heart._

_James and Harry are quite the handful here. Godrics Hollow is a pleasant place, and we have regular visits from Sirius and good old Bathilda Bagshot, she tells the most fascinating tales. Dumbledore took away James's Invisibility Cloak, and I think he is starting to grow anxious with a life in hiding, but he says he refuses to place Harry's life, as well as mine, in danger for some night time excursion through our town. Peter also visits, but he seems... odd. I can't really understand how, but he seems like he's hiding something, like he's guilty of some crime that no one has yet discovered, yet he yearns to confess... I can't really explain it._

_Harry is so energetic, and he looks exactly like James, but he has my eyes. Thanks goodness he's isn't a replica of James, then I don't know how I would_ survive_. He seems to have adjusted to the cat, although he still doesn't understand that it's tail is not a rope to swing on. But he's getting better, and I think Miv will appreciate this in the future, she's tired of falling from tables because of Harry's unexpected weight._

_I'm hoping to hear from you soon Pet... Tuny, I really do miss you, and I hope yo__u can find it in your heart to forgive me._

_Love,  
Your Sister,  
Lily_

Petunia read this and tears began to gather. Petunia nodded to herself, accepting the apology in her mind, knowing that she would reply in the morning. She had been so foolish, so very foolish. It had not been her sisters fault, it had not been her fault at all.

Tomorrow, she would write to her sister. She would apologize, she would want Lily to meet her husband and son, and the same the other way around. She would see Lily again, meet her brother in law and her nephew, James and Harry.

She lay down in bed once more and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to come. At that very moment, outside her window, the streetlamp extinguished and a man with a long, silver beard, half moon spectacles over brilliant blue eyes and a crooked nose began to walk towards Number 4 Privet Drive, an evelope in one hand, and what looked like a silver cigaratte lighter in the other...

"Fancy seeing you her, Proffessor McGonagall..."

* * *

Petunia quickly made breakfast, in high spirits, aready thinking of ways to contact her sister as soon as possible. She could still remember the friendship the two had shared before that horrible boy from Spinners End had interfered...

Opening the door, she bent down to lay the old milk bottles and gave a small shriek, dropping them and causing them to shatter.

Vernon waddled over as fast as he could, only to see an infant in a tartan blanket on their doorstep, fast asleep with a lightning bolt scar on the boys forehead. He had tousled black hair and it was obvious he was around a year and a half, possible less.

Pentunia bent over and picked up the boy delicately and noticed an envelope fall.

"Vernon," She whispered hurridly, "Pick that up and come inside before the neighbors see!"

Walking to the living room, she sat down, staring at the boy in her arms with confusion. Vernon had already begun opening the envelope and unfolded quickly before reading the sloped elegant writing that Harry would later come to recognise as Albus Dumbledores penmanship. Mr. Dursley began to read aloud to his trembling wife.

_"Dear Mr and Mrs Dursley,_

_The boy you are now holding is none other then your nephew, Harry James Potter,..."_

Petunia gave a small, strangled gasp, glancing down at her nephew once more in even more confusion, her eyes wide.

_"... son of James Potter and Lily Potter. Last night, both Lily and James perished in their home in Godrics Hollow, under the hand of Lord Voldemort on Halloween night..."_

Petunia couldn't breathe. She had just read her letter yesterday, the day after Halloween... The letter had arrived too late...

_"... due to a horrible betrayel of the man that they entrusted their whereabouts to. The killing curse was used, and both of their death's were quick and painless. But now, Harry Potter is in your care, if you choose to accept him. Lily Potter gave her life for her son, and therefore, if he is to live with blood relatives until the day he turns seventeeen, he will be protected from Voldemort..."_

Petunia felt as if she were falling into a void, an abyss of despair and bitterness...

_"And the summer he turns eleven, he will be permitted to come to Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry..."_

Petunia stopped listening, even thoug Vernon continued to read, his face growing a deeper shade of purple with every word her read. Petunia could not allow him to go to the school her sister went to. They allowed Lily to go, to train her gift, and look where magic got her... He would be in danger as well...

"What a load of codswallop!" Shouted Vernon, causing the boy in Petunias arms to stir, "We can't just be expected to take the boy in! He's one of their lot, why doesn't he stay with their lot?"

"We could teach him to not use magic?" Suggested Petunia quietly, more to herself then her husband, "Perhaps... If conditions were hard enough... It could ever squash the magic from him? Drive it out and teach him to be... normal?"

"He goes to an orphanage, NOW." Exclaimed Vernon, reaching for the boy, and to his surprise, his wife turned him away from his hands, her eyes directly on the babys sleeping face. She woulc protect him from the magical world, keep him from the same fate as her sister. He would be like a new son... Perhaps not as pampered as Dudley, knowing Vernon, but still, he needed to stay with her.

"Petunia?" Asked Vernon, more gently now, "We can't... He cannot stay."

"Why not?" Asked Petunia quietly.

Vernon grew surprised. "We... We just can't..."

But Petunia had noticed the boy stirring and gazed down at him. The boys eyes opened to reveal emeralds, the exact same shape, color, even shade as her sisters and it took her breath away. He was just like her sister, who was...

_Gone, dead, never going to be seen again... These boys eyes... Would be a constant reminder..._

Immediatly, Petunia hardened, and her soft gaze was no longer motherly but determined.

"The boy stays."

And with that, she put him on the couch and made a sort of bed for him there with blanket and pillows, where the boy fell asleep once more. Petunia, ignoring her husbands stunned gaze, began to cook once more at the stove, turning the bacon in the pan, a small, unnoticed tear rolling down her cheek as her thoughts turned back to her sister, and for a moment, she was sure she heard a soft voice whisper in her ear, causing her to jump.

_"Thank you, Tuny."_

* * *

**Well, I thought I would show a different view of Aunt Petunia then alot of people seem to think, and I doubt she was ever like this, but I thought it was a nice idea, so I wrote it. Hope it's okay!**

**Kipcha**


End file.
